Prohibition serves as an excellent example of a public policy based on hopes and desires rather than on logic and common sense. Every proposed policy should always be examined in terms of its possible unintended outcomes and every existing policy should be examined an evaluated in terms of its effectiveness and absence of undesirable unintended consequences.
The Scientific Temperance Federation was formed in 1906 upon the death of Mary Hunt. She was a leader of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Hunt was head of the WCTU’s powerful Department of Scientific Temperance Instruction in Schools and Colleges. Temperance textbooks needed Mary Hunt’s approval to be endorsed by the WCTU. And without …
Ernest Cherrington was a leader in the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) and temperance movement. He was also an important temperance writer and journalist. Cherrington was born in 1877 in Hamden, Ohio. After attending Ohio Wesleyan he taught school. However, he became increasingly concerned over the consumption of alcoholic beverages. He believed reflected a moral decline in …
Mary H. Hunt (Mary Hanchet Hunt) was born in 1830 and died in 1906. The amazing Mary Hunt became the single most powerful woman in the U.S. promoting temperance and prohibition. This is her incredible story that influences us even today. I. Amazing Story of Mary Hunt Ms. Hunt’s amazing story of success began in …
The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is the oldest voluntary, non-sectarian women’s organization in continuous existence in the world. It was also among the first organizations to keep a professional lobbyist in Washington, D.C. to promote its agenda. The organization is the “Woman’s” rather than “Women’s” Christian Temperance Union. That’s because it is the individual …
Prohibition trivia is about National Prohibition in the U.S. It existed from January of 1929 until December of 1933. That is, it lasted almost 14 years. At the beginning of the Noble Experiment, most people supported it. Indeed, many states already had their own state-wide prohibition laws in place. In addition, the number of such …
I. Background. The Prohibition Party of the United States began in 1869. Before the Civil War (1861-1865) temperance groups had promoted voluntary abstinence from alcoholic beverages. The War diverted national attention to more pressing matters. Subsequently, the temperance movement wayned. Moral suasion had proved to be both difficult and frustrating. So after the War, temperance …
Wilbur F. Crafts was a self-styled “Christian lobbyist.” He formed the International Reform Bureau in 1895. Crafts led it for 28 years until his death in 1922. I. Wilbur F. Crafts Best known as a prohibition leader, Crafts also opposed movies and promoted their heavy censorship by government. The motion picture industry feared his Reform …
The Lever Act (Lever Food and Fuel Act) was passed by Congress several months after the U.S. entered WW I in 1917. I. The Lever Act Its official name indicates its goal. It was “An Act to Provide Further for the National Security and Defense by Encouraging the Production, Conserving the Supply, and Controlling the …
There are a number of events in temperance and prohibition history around the world. This is a calender of days for January through December. Typically, one event is listed for each day of the year. There are many thousands of events. Therefore, this is only a partial list from the many events in temperance history. A …
Many people have heard of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). But virtually no one has heard of the Non-partisan Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (NWCTU). The WCTU was formed in 1874. Within five years it had established over 1,000 local units or “unions.” It continued to grow during National Prohibition (1920-1933). Its peak membership was …
